Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

2020 Detroit Lakes-Pelican Rapids Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions


Recommended Posts

I heard a fellow dropped his ranger atv through the ice on Rose lake down by Vergas. Hit a pressure ridge and now its on the bottom in about 100 ft plus of water

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow that lake always worries me when im on it. even with 2' of ice hope he is ok it's a long way to the bottom out there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went out early this morning with a buddy to an area lake before the wind picked up and temps started to drop and the conditions were perfect early, warmer temps, light snow coming straight down. We had 12 nice slabs 11-14" before 8:30am then they shut down.

full-39626-52117-2015_01_0309.28.49(640x

full-39626-52118-2015_01_0309.28.00(640x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A buddy and his cousin wanted to get on some crappies so I took them out to one of my spots and they are very predictable right now holding in the deeper basin areas and suspended. We ended up with 24 nice crappies, pic of my buddy with a couple and pic of some of the larger 11.5-13.5" crappies.

full-39626-52195-2015_01_1018.32.20(640x

full-39626-52196-2015_01_1018.35.57(640x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A buddy and his cousin wanted to get on some crappies so I took them out to one of my spots and they are very predictable right now holding in the deeper basin areas and suspended. We ended up with 24 nice crappies, pic of my buddy with a couple and pic of some of the larger 11.5-13.5" crappies.

full-39626-52195-2015_01_1018.32.20(640x

full-39626-52196-2015_01_1018.35.57(640x

You are always on them! Nice work and nice pics as always!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished a local lake on Saturday from 6 am till 6 pm. My hub style fish house had the heater running full blast all day and we had to fire up a second one to keep it warm in there a few times. Graphed a lot in the morning no luck. Got a bass and a walleye mid morning. Over the noon hour I got a really nice bass on a bobber. Right before dark we ended up getting about 5 more walleyes. Bite was very touchy and light. Northerns were even hit and miss throughout the day. Sunday fished a different lake and it was nice to have some snow on the lake for traction and being able to bank the house. Got some nice gills from 2:30/3-5 caught about 25/30 gills total kept maybe 12-18, 2 crappies and a small bass. Should have had minnows but will try it again this weekend with both.

Anyone else having any luck? Saturday I had two broken fishing rods setting the hook on fish, I've never broken a rod before and I broke two in one day and I didn't hit anything in the hook set process. Broke right at the base where the cork is at. Weird part was I've had them for a while and they've been a good medium rod this whole time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Snuck out late yesterday and with little snow cover we ventured to a different lake known to hold crappies, did not take long to find them. Here's my buddy holding a couple of the slabs we caught....mostly on waxies, a few on fatheads with a plain hook under a bobber.

full-39626-52303-2015_01_1718.37.36(640x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saturday went to a popular lake not a fish house within a mile and set up on the break for walleye/northern. Ice conditions were 36 inches of ice, realized extension was in the other vehicle so was getting nervous, snow was hit and miss and most drifts were solid bricks. Haven't fished the lake in years and we always set up 18-22 fow so put tip ups from 15, 17, 20, 22 and the house in about 19/20. Had some HUGE shiners so put them up in 15 in the weeds and we kept busy chasing flags hit and miss most of the day. At 4 pm I was out checking minnows and the flag went off really slowly swimming away right next to me and I set the hook and an 18" walleye. Rebaited and in the next hour it went off probably 6 times running 8-12 feet at a time and each time no bait left on it. I had 2-3 inch shiners on it so I know it wasn't false flags from the minnow. We lost one in the house at dark, girlfriend's first year ice fishing and she went from reeling in at 100 mph to not reeling in when I told her to slow down a little bit and we lost that fish. Was pulling nice and that was on a bobber and a fat head. Didn't catch a fish after that walleye and we quit graphing stuff in the house at 6 so we packed up at 7. Left tip ups out and when I went to pull them we got two walleyes (7:30) in five minutes. Decided to rebait and sit in the truck watching them and we packed up at 8 without another flag.

Sunday I went with friends of mine and we went for some panfish. Tried a small lake set up some tip ups out from 14-22 fow with shiners. Had three huge shiners and caught three snakes. Not a hit on any of the "Normal" shiners I had down there. Set house up in about 18 fow on live weeds. We only had about 30/32 inches of ice since I was near a spring, I did see that the river flowing into the lake was kicking some water ontop of the ice over in that direction. Set house up about 2:30 and since I was walleye fishing the night before I had to redo all my rods and we had schools coming through almost instantly. Ended up keeping about a dozen blue gills, caught 20-24 gills total and three crappies, 10, 11, 11.5". Would have gotten a few more but other parties didn't have graph and didn't always know where bottom was at for them.

Blue gills and crappies for the first time all winter for me were aggressive. I would drop the jig down and about 4 feet off of bottom the fish would fly up to bite it. Was pretty cool watching it on the graph.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice conditions were 36 inches of ice, realized extension was in the other vehicle so was getting nervous, snow was hit and miss and most drifts were solid bricks.

We only had about 30/32 inches of ice since I was near a spring, I did see that the river flowing into the lake was kicking some water ontop of the ice over in that direction.

Where are you finding such thick ice?? Has anyone else found ice this thick? I don't think I've drilled through more than 24" in the DL area this winter, but I guess I haven't measured so I could be way off here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where have you been fishing? I've been on multiple lakes around DL and we had almost 24" prior to Christmas.

DL area... Melissa, Lida, and Pelican last Saturday just to name a few. I've been on a dozen area lakes in the month of January. Like I said I haven't actually measured any of the ice so I could be way off base here. I wasn't trying to discredit you, the 36" just really caught me off guard... that's almost extension time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've fished a few of those lakes that you mentioned. Unless my ice auger isn't 42" like manufactuerer states, my hands were touching the ice shavings this weekend. I'll grab tape measure this weekend

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FWIW, everything I've been on has been around 24" as well.

+1

Found some around 28-30", but most lakes are around the 24" range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am planning to go out on Big Cormorant for the first time ever this weekend. I was curious about the ice conditions out of both the north and west access. Will I be able to drive my truck or should I bring my 4-wheeler? I know there is a pressure ridge along the north side and I believe I read somewhere there is a pressure ridge out from the west access as well. Any areas to avoid altogether? Any information is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fished Saturday afternoon/evening. Wanted to fish for walleyes and couldn't get shinners from County 6 (They are done for the season, so I got small suckers and fatheads. Last time I fished the lake I was fishing in 22 fow with the house and all my fish came in right next to the weeds. Found the weed line and set tip ups up on those along with the house. setting lines in the house we got our first fish on a bobber with a small sucker ended up being a 1 pound northern. Dad showed up and decided he wanted to put his tip up out deep and up shallow. Almost instantly his flag went off when I was out there checking ice and I got about an 18" walleye up shallow. Moments later the deep one went off and nothing was there including my minnow but only ran 5 feet. Right at dark flag went off on edge came out to it and set the hook smaller and only ran about 2 feet pulled it up and it was a half pound northern about dark, I had my light on it. We didn't have a flag the rest of the night and we fished for another 2+ hours. In the house the girlfriend was graphing fish 3-4 feet off of bottom and since the spoons weren't working I gave her a blue gill jig tipped with a wax worm. She was down maybe five minutes and I hear her drag going out. She got 3 crappies 9" 10" 11.5" in maybe five minutes. She was having fun and then another line came in on the graph and she started jigging and when she hooked it she's like this seems bigger than the last one. Pulled up her first walleye 10" got a pic of it and released. The walleye came in 3' off of bottom and bit a wax worm! Was this walleye schooling with the crappies? All my bobber rods were a foot off of bottom and not a hit. Was a frustrating day since we maybe got 4 1-1.5 pound northerns, 1 keeper eye, 3 crappies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice job. sweet looking fish. Still haven't got any myself. Not enough time to find them.

Thx Bak2MN...it has been an awesome year chasing crappies for me. I have done it for years and have always had my old standby spots I know I can catch crappies in but I have only used one of those spots this year; with little snow cover I have been able to get to basins I could normally never get to with so much deep snow. Now I have found crappies on many diff lakes in the DL area...I knew they held crappies but now being able to drive anywhere I have found them...and for the most part they have been big crappies....untouched in the winter for years. Talked to an "old timer" at one spot and he lives on the lake but he even said this is the first time this area has ever been fished in the winter ever cuz no one can get here in a normal winter unless you chase them with a snowmobile and few people do that, they tend to take their snowmobiles out to their normal spots and rarely search new water. They are out there...believe me..and the best is yet to come when the melt starts and they go on the feed bag right before ice out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey John...hope you are doing well. I am only fishing the prime times early morning or dusk. Come mid to late March time of day won't matter as much. Basically going to secondary basins of large lakes and finding crappies...most spots have been in that 30-35'depth and in every one the crappies are suspended half way up the water column. Tons of perch on the bottom of course that I don't bother with....but the crappies have been coming in high...even had some the other night in 35' that were only 10' under the ice. Good Luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on a local pond this past Saturday. Fished a 25' basin and the crappies were all in the 15' area of the column. Simple jig waxie was lights out from about 3:30 til dark and then they were gone. Nothing huge, just really nice eaters in the 10" range. Also had a minnow down but they really preferred the jig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MN DNR Lake Finder is a great feature within their HSOforum you can search by name or county and look up lakes. This one shows two in MN the one you are probably looking for is west of Leaf on Hwy 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Similar Content

  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.